Appreciate comments - enquired at local aftermarket porsche garage who specialise in racing for cost of changing brake lines - steel and fluid - called endless for $463.00 including labour. Is this reasonable?

 

I can't give you a price on steel replacements (not a big fan of braided hoses myself), but I did recently replace the original rubber hoses with new factory rubber hoses. The hoses were $42 each (times 4). It took me an hour and a half to replace all four, and then another hour to do a full bleed. Add a liter of ATE fluid at $12. So, parts were $180, labor about 2.5 hours. If labor is $100 per hour, and you figure in some additional cost for the steel lines, you would get pretty close to your $463. Seems like a reasonable cost if you don't want to DIY.

 

Cheers. Why don't you like braided lines?

 

I have actually seen braided line failures in the past. The steel lines tend to be stiffer than the stock rubber lines, and the constant flexing necessary when the suspension goes through it's movement tends to place a lot of stress on the point where the braided steel ends and is swaged into the fitting. I am sure there are high quality steel lines available that are less prone to failure there, but seeing one fail will cause you to think twice.

The real motivation to going to steel lines in the first place is to avoid the soft pedal that comes from the slow degradation of the rubber brake line. A new rubber line is every bit as firm as a new steel line. My solution is to simply replace the rubber lines every couple of years and be done with it.

 

+1

 

thanks fellas - this is interesting. I always believed the rubber hoses were partly responsible for the squishy feeling once the brake fluid had got too hot and it affected the elasticity of the rubber. I assume race cars always run steel braid as they check all the time etc.

When I raced bikes I changed to braid and for me made a huge difference.

Will keep you posted.

 

I use goodridge braided lines on my 6. Been on for the last 4 years. So far so good. Mike

 

In most cases braided steel lines do not improve brake pedal feel over a quality OE rubber hose though that is the claim used by marketers to sell the stainless lines.

Now I'm sure there are some exceptions, but in my experience and that of many other track junkies who have actually tested the OE/stainless hoses back-to-back with no other changes, you literally could not tell any difference on the Porsche/Audi/VWs that we tested them on.

If you are going to use braided stainless lines then please use a DOT certified, machine crimped hose as your life literally depends on it and yes most of us have seen stainless lines fail. They should probably be replaced every few years just like the OE rubber hoses?

 

[QUOTE=If you are going to use braided stainless lines then please use a DOT certified, machine crimped hose as your life literally depends on it and yes most of us have seen stainless lines fail. They should probably be replaced every few years just like the OE rubber hoses?[/QUOTE]

Noted and thank you. If I were to just change the brake fluid - are the rubber hoses which come as standard good enough?

 

it's time to change your braided line.
it's not firmer than my rubber line.
braided lines must be changed, it's a wear tear item. failure are catatrophic, of course rubber line should be changed too. change them every other eyar.

 

oem rubber lines are good enough.
but unless u ask them, lines are changed when you change brake fluild

 

I think Mooty meant to say "unless u ask them, lines are NOT changed when you change brake fluild".

Bottom line, if your current stock rubber lines are more than two years old, change them. Do a full fluid flush at the same time (and don't forget to bleed the clutch slave while you are at it). Using stock factory fresh rubber lines is every bit as good as an aftermarket braided steel line. Set up an Outlook Reminder for 2 years from now to change them again.

 

Tom/Mooty - thanks for this advice. My car is 10 weeks old - I think I am just going to ask for endless brake fluid and use the cash I was going to spend on lines towards a spare set of light weight race wheels

 

sorry, my brain moves faster than fingers.
since your car is new, just get fluid. if u have steel rotors, consider some aggressive pads in addition to brk fluid.

and for those who has doubts on porsche brakes, pls go drive a bmw then you will immediately stop complaining.

 

When I had the stainless lines done on my 996 a number of years ago, I was shocked to find out they were only like 8-10" long Hardly long enough to feel flex in the pedal as a lot of people suggest and I did not notice a difference in pedal feel. I will say that when I used to track motorcycles, it was a more noticeable improvement going to SS lines. Then again the soft brake lines on a bike are much much longer than on a car.

Two years for the replacement of the factory rubbers is news to me. Sounds like solid advice though. I'm due for a fluid change. Might as well do the rubber lines at the same time since the bleed is part of the R&R cost anyway.